Simple Observations...

There are some things in life that are just simple observations... Here are a few that have come to my mind recently:

1. People watching is some of the best entertainment in life, and it's free. I'm convinced that this is why there are street vendors who sell popcorn. What better than to sit with a box of popcorn and watch the show.

2. Dogs and toddlers do not listen to reason. No matter how many times I tell the dog that the people in the side yard are OK because they're installing our neighbor's fence, she barks. No matter how I explain why yogurt cannot be eaten right before I'm about to serve dinner, the toddlers in our house cry.

3. Tummy tucks are quite the invention. I often dream of one while riding my bike... primarily because the twin skin that resulted from carrying Angelfish and Ladybug as my doctor likes to say "we're only built to carry one, you know") hangs down and when in the aero bars my legs hit it. Plus, I'd like to see my abs again. Yet, I worry about surgery for such a cosmetic reason. Although it would be nice to have a flatter stomach again.

4. Some people will not listen to what anyone says, even if their life in endangered. Today I swam Lucky's Lake and there was a young woman who was not a very strong swimmer who had been told not to swim Lucky's but showed up. Then she was told only swim half way and back and she didn't listen. Then when she was tired and treading water to "rest" she was told to float on her back until she caught her breath, and didn't listen. While I do not want to squash any one's dreams, there are certain edges of reason that should be adhered to. Lucky's is a deep lake and one can drown if one cannot handle the swim. There is nowhere to rest, just a nice long 500 m swim from one end of the lake to the other. Great for sighting practice and swimming in open water, but not for the skittish (lots of fish and turtles and even an unknown creature, snakes from time to time,etc.) or those who are not strong swimmers. Having to wait on someone (because I don't have it in me to not be concerned with the possibility of needing to help rescue someone) when that someone doesn't listen to reason is slightly annoying.

5. All triathletes I know push themselves on several levels: physical, emotional, and mental. We all believe in ourselves, and the more we achieve the greater we believe. And sometimes, we're swimming/biking/running from something so that we can swim/bike/run to somewhere new in life.

6. When people really want something, they are motivated and do not need to be reminded of anything related to what they want.

7. Life isn't fair. I heard a little kid say something to someone in a restaurant about "that's not fair." Well, life isn't fair but the trick is that you have to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and either fight to make it fair or find a new way. Whenever someone wins, someone else loses but that doesn't mean you give up.

8. Reality TV is a sad commentary on life. I used to watch "Kate & Jon Plus 8" intermittently... usually on a rough day with the girls to remind myself how good I have it. I stopped when they went from being an everyday family with everyday struggles to getting all the freebies and product placements. Now I just feel sorry for them and especially for their children, and wish they would at least try some marital counseling.

9. Nothing is better than watching your child's face light up or being told that she loves you. Angelfish & Ladybug learned a cute little song at school with hand movements and everything that ends with "I love you." It melted my heart every time they did it. But best of all was when I told Ladybug I loved her as I was putting her shoes on in the car and she touched my arm, gave me a smile and say "I know. I love you too." and then Angelfish chimed in "I love you so much, Mommy!" They can wake me up at 3:30 am any morning for that.

10. Everyone needs something for themselves. You give so much of yourself as a spouse and a parent, at work, to your friends and other family members, but you have to keep something for yourself. The hard part is remembering this and finding the time to live it out.

11. Birthday parties are not about cake and presents. They're about celebrating that you exist, touch the lives of others, and that you are loved. I don't care how many pony rides, build a bears, or fairy/princess dress up you have if you're missing that point.

12. I could be a swim coach. I'd need some technical training, but I'm always giving people pointers and I really do love swimming. Despite my internal vow to never swim competitively again because of how much I hated the way my childhood swim coach treated me (especially when I quit and he yelled at me for quitting and told me that he made me into who I was - even at 12 I knew that was malarkey, I swam for those Junior Olympic times not him AND I was more than just a swimmer), and having to relive and forgive myself for breaking that promise to myself, I LOVE swimming and I love helping other people be better swimmers. So, yes, Coach W, you were right. You said I'd be back, and I'm back to competitive swimming... just not in the time frame you expected it to be.

13. The idea of running a marathon or a half marathon on it's own makes me think, "I'd never want to do that." But the idea of running a half marathon as part of a triathlon doesn't even phase me. I just think of it as the last 13.1 miles of the race. I must be crazy.

14. Life is too short. I wish jobs were just about making money to put food on the table and a roof over your head and clothes on yours & your children's backs, and you had free time to spend with people and see the world. And I wish food would magically appear in my kitchen each week and cook itself, and that the laundry would do itself and put itself away. There are not enough hours in the day for it all.

15. This post is getting a little too sappy. So I'll end by saying: in the big picture my life is good and while I have my complaints, all in all it's not worth the stress and anguish I put myself through. Now, if only I can remember that later when the girls are trying to avoid bedtime yet again.

Happy weekend! I'll be biking 30 miles tomorrow morning... and I'm hoping it will be on my new bike (which came in yesterday but is not yet fully assembled)!